Birmingham Historic District

Birmingham Historic District occupies about 161 acres in the central and western part of East Toledo, Ohio, along the Maumee River. Its roughly 35 blocks and 18 streets hold 1,571 buildings, of which 915 contribute to the district's character. Almost all development followed 1892, when East Toledo's industrial growth turned farmland and vacant lots into subdivisions. Most houses are one and one-and-a-half story wood dwellings built between 1892 and 1920. Commercial buildings are mostly two and three story brick structures with storefronts below and apartments or offices above, and Genesee Street was once the area's main shopping district. Churches are built of brick or stone, with one wood example. Many Hungarian and Slovak settlers lived here, and their influence shows clearly in the vernacular architecture. Queen Anne, Italianate, Romanesque Revival and Georgian Revival buildings also appear. Most non-contributing buildings are rear garages and outbuildings, and the district retains strong integrity.